Firing operations help firefighters contain the Pine Ridge Fire along one of its boundaries. Photo courtesy InciWeb.org.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Despite facing windy conditions, firefighting crews were able to fully contain the Pine Ridge Fire that burned northeast of Grand Junction for eight days, at one point forcing the evacuation of an entire town as the flames raced toward De Beque.

Incident commander Bill Hahnenberg declared the fire contained at about 6 p.m. on July 4. The fire burned across 13,920 acres in dry brush and scattered stands of piñon pines. At times, the fire burned within sight of the Colorado River and required the intermittent closure of I-70.

In some of the more remote locations, firefighters were able to attack the fire with the help of railroads leading through the area.

Elsewhere in the state, no new fires were reported and crews made progress in extinguishing other major fires. Monsoonal moisture is expected to be a factor in the weather the next few days. In places, heavy showers could help firefighting efforts.

The Waldo Canyon Fire is 90 percent contained at about 18,000 acres, after destroying 346 homes in a terrifying run in suburbs on the western edge of Colorado Springs.

The Little Sand Fire, northwest of Pagosa Springs, is about 40 percent contained, with most of the fire activity confined to remote areas with no threats to structures. The San Juan fire in many areas is creeping along the ground consuming brush and other low fuels in a way that’s beneficial to the fire-adapted forest ecoystem for the long term.

The Weber Fire, which burned to within 1 mile of Mancos, is 90 percent contained, as crews now are mainly on patrol duty suppress any flareups, and to start basic rehabilitation of fire-scarred hillsides that face a threat of erosion and flash-flooding.